Recipe Serves: 4
Preparation time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients

250g Tricolore pasta twists (or favourite shape)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 small leek, cleaned and sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
40g butter
40g plain flour
500 ml milk
freshly ground black pepper
100g cooked, sliced smoked ham
150g British Mature Cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
40g traditional, thick cut potato crisps

Method

Preheat the grill. Have ready an oven-proof casserole dish.

Cook the pasta according to pack instructions. Drain and cover the pasta to keep warm.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion, leek and garlic until soft and translucent. Do not brown.

In a separate pan melt the butter and stir in the flour. Mix to a paste. Add the milk, whisking continuously until the sauce thickens. Season with black pepper.

Remove any fat from the ham and cut up into strips. Stir the ham into the sauce together with the onion and leek mixture, 100g of the Cheddar cheese and the chopped parsley.

Stir the cheese sauce and pasta together and tip into the casserole dish.

Sprinkle the potato crisps and reserved grated cheese over the top of the dish. Place under a hot grill and cook until cheese melts and begins to bubble.

Serve immediately.

By kind permissioan of the British Cheese Board

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